Button and disk trim m ing machine



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

s. L. OTIS. 1

BUTTON AND DISK TRIMMING MACHINE.

Patented Mar. 17, 1885.

n I Y MW N PETERS Phomumugnp r mgm Dc (No xoo'lel.) 4 Shee ts-Shee t 2.

S. L. OTIS.

BUTTON AND DISK TRIMMING MACHINE.

Patented Mar. 17, 1885.

{No Model.) l S L OTIS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

BUTTON AND DISK TRIMMING MAGHINB. l

No. 313,949. Patented Mar. 17, 1885.

Arron/vn 4 Sheets-Sheet 4. S. L. OTIS.

BUTTON AND DISK TRIMMING MACHINE.

lPatented Mar'. 17, 1885.v

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(No Model.)

A role/VU To all whom it may concern:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL L. OTIS, OF BIRMINGHAM, CONNECTICUT.

BUTTON AND DISK TRINIIVIING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 313,949, dated March 17, 1885.

Application filed July 11, 1834. (No model.)

Be it known that I, SAMUEL L. OTIs, of Birmingham, in the county of New Haven and Y State of Connecticut, have invented certain 4and automatically discharged therefrom,

new and useful Improvements in Button and Disk Trimming Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My 'invention relates to animprovement in rbutton or disk trimming machines.

When a button ordisk, formed of composition, leaves the dies, it has a sharp rough edge where the top and bottom dies meet. Before the but-ton is ready for market it is necessary trimmed.

Hitherto'it has been customary to place the article to be trimmed into a revolving holder or chuck, one at a time, the operator holding a, file or other suitable tool or cutter against the rough edge until it is made sufficiently smooth.

rIhe object of my present invention is to provide a machine wherein the buttons or other ldisks shall be automatically fed to a rotary held stationary while being ltrimmed and which shall do its work rapidly and well, a further object being to provide a cutter-head of improved construction, in which the cutters are secured in a yielding and readily detachable manner, a further object being to provide a system of cam-operated levers for producing trimmer,

the several movements required in combination with the rotary cutter, whereby the friction shall be reducedltoca` minimum.

With these ends in view my invention consists in certain `features of construction and combinations of `parts, as will be hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a view of my machine in perspective. Fig. 2 is a plan view. Fig. 3 is -an end elevation. Fig. 4 is a vertical section through line l l of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detached View of the cutter-head in vertical section. Fig. 6 is a section on line 2 `itof Fig. 2.

A represents a portion of iioor or table bed ,suitablefor supporting the diierent parts of the frame-work of the machine. shaft B is journaled horizontally in suitable bearings in the upper portions of the uprights a, and is provided with a pulley, b, secured on The man' one end, located outside of the uprights a, by

means of which mot-ion is communicated to the shaft B from a pulley on a counter-shaft. (Not shown.) The shalt Bis further provided with a pulley, b, secured rigidly thereon, located about midway between the uprights a. A band, b2, leads from the pulley b to a grooved pulley, c, rigidly secured on an upright shaft, C, journaled in the ends of the upper and lower arms, d and d, of the bracket D, the lat ter being firmly secured to the table A. The I pulley c is located just beneath the upper arm, d, of the shaft C. A pulley, c', is ri idly secured on the upper end of the shaft C just above the arm d, from which a band, d2, leads to a pulley, e, secured on the sleeve e on the vertical spindle E. The sleeve e is journaled in suitable bearings in the upper and lower horizontal arms, j' and f', formed integral with or rigidly secured to the upright F, the latter being firmly secured to the bed A. The sleeve e is provided, as before noted, with the pulley e, located between the arms f and f and with the cutter-head e2, secured to its lower end beneath the arm f. The spindle E, before mentioned, ts loosely within the sleeve e', and has a vertically-sliding motion therein, inV the manner and for the purpose which will be hereinafter explained. The cutter-head e'z is provided with a central perforation sufficiently large to allow the lower end of the spindle E to pass through it. The head is preferably cylindrical in shape, though not necessarily so. It is provided with four (more or less) vertical perforations, sockets, or chambers, e, opening downwardly and connected with the space around the head by narrow slots c5. The perforations e* are at equal distances from the axis of the head and preferably at equal distances from eachother. The cutters e consist of short bars or rods, having suitable cutting-edges formed on their lower ends, adapted to fit within the perforations or chambers e", and said cutters are further provided with lugs or pins el, which project outwardly through the slots e5, and en- IOO 4ojustn1ent, and the channel between the ribs surface of the head, and arethereby held in l position. The upper ends of the chambers e4 are closed, and spring-cushions e are inserted therein between the upper ends of the chanil bers and the upper ends of the cutters, by means of which the cutters are continually pressed downwardly iu contact with the article being operated upon, and are prevented from causing the spindle to rebound when they strike a ragged edge, andare made to hug the uneven surface of thebutton or disk. Immediately underneath the cutter-head e2, and a short distance below it, a rest, h, is located, upon which the button or disk is held while being trimmed. The rest 7L is secured on a block, H, the latter being firmly secured to the bed A, and said rest consists of a concave-faced cylindrical piece having a central perforation, which registers with a corresponding perforation in the block H, through which a vertically-sliding rod or bar, h', passes, the lower end of the bar h projecting downwardly through a shoulder h2, cut onv the block H. The upper end of the har li is provided with an enlarged head, h3, set obliquely thereon,. for the purpose which will be explained further on, and the rod is further provided with a spiral spring, as, secured thereon within the block H, the tension of which tends to hold the rod depressed. The buttons or disks are fed to the rest ZL by theinclined slide I, secured to an upright, K, the latter being rnily secured to the bed A. The upper face of the incline I is provided with two longitudinal parallel ribs. Z and i', the former secured rigidly to theincline, and the latter secured thereto by means of set-screws i, which pass through transverse slots i3 in the rib i', whereby said rib is allowed a transverse adnarrowed or widened to receive buttons of different sizes. Aflat bar, k, provided with perforated arms k', is secured by means of said arms to the rib t', and extends over the channel between the ribs to prevent two or more thicknesses of buttons or disks from passing down the channel.

To the upper end of the incline I a broad plate or receptacle, L, is secured, which plate gradually narrows as it approaches the slide, and is adapted to receive a quantity of the buttons or disks, and keep a continuous line ofthe sanie passing down the incline.

The mechanism for feeding the buttons or disks to the cutters at regular intervals, for preventing the same from sliding too far over the rest, for holding them on the rest, for lowering the cutter-head into contact therewith and lifting it therefrom, and for discharging the button or disk, when trimmed, from the rest, is operated by four cam-wheels, Z, Z, Z". andZi, rigidly secured on the main shaft B, and springs acting in directions opposite to the cams, in the following manner: Two gates, M and N, are secured to the slide I by means of extended branches m and n, respectively, which slide in transverse perforations m n, formed in the` under side of the slide or in a bracket secured thereto, or in both,as shown. The gates M and N are situated 'a 'distance apart equal to about the diameter of the largest button or disk which the machine is adapted for, and, passing through slots m2 'n2 in 'the rib z', slide across the channel and prevent the passage of a button. The gates are automatically closed and held in a closed position by spiral springs m3 n3, secured on the branchesm and n between the slide I and pins m1 n4. passing through the ends of said branches. The gates are opened by the action of the laterally-ex- Y tending studs o and o', set near the perlpheries ofthe wheels Z and Z, which studs engage the upright arms o2 o3 of the horizontally-sliding bars O and P, the latter being supported in slots formed in the uprightKand the upright Zcl, located on the opposite'side ofthe shaft B from K, said bars O and P being further provided with the upright arms o4 and,o5, which engage the depending ends ld and h4 of the gates. The studs o and o are so arranged on the wheels Z and Z' that when gate M is open gate N is closed, and gate M will close before gate N opens, thereby allowing but one button to pass at a time. Zhen constructed as shown, one button will be allowed to rpass with each revolution of the shaft B. At the nionienta button or disk is allowed to pass the gate N the cutter-head is held in its elevated adjustment as follows: An upright rod or bar, Q, is secured in a perforation, q, in the arms of the upright F, and is located near the sleeve e'. The rod Q is, allowed a verticallysliding motion, and is provided with a yoke oi' shifter, g', rigidly secured thereon, the ends ofthe yoke engaging an annular groove, g2, in the face of a collar, Q3, the latter being secured rmly to the sleeve e. A spiral spring, q, is secured on the rod Q, between the arinf and yoke q', the tension of which tends to depress the yoke, and hence slide the sleeve e and cut- IOO ter-head downwardly. A horizontal lever, g5,

is pivoted on a laterally-extending stud, q, set near the base ofthe upright F, one end of which lever rests in contact with the lower end of the rod Q and the other end engages the cani-wheel Z2 on the shaft B. At the niolnent when a button escapes from the lower gate and slides toward the rest the cam on the wheel ZIz depresses the end of the lever g5 in contact therewith and thereby lifts the rod Q,

and hence the cutter-head, against the tension ofthe spring g4. At this moment, too, the rod or bar h is held in a depressed position within the rest h by the tension of the spring a", and the spindle E is held in elevated adjustnient within the sleeve e by the engagement of the cam on the wheel Z3 with a horizontal lever, S, pivotally secured at one end to the support s, the other end being connected with the end of the lever T by the connectingrod s. upwardly-projecting standard t, secured to Lever T is pivotally secured to the I the upright n, and is connected with the upjusta-ble collar s", secured on the spindle, and

the screw-bolt s3, passing through the end of base, held in elevated adjustment by a spiral` r', one end of said spring being secured spring, to' the lever and the other to the bed A. rIhe upward motion of the guard-plate'r is limited? by the contact of the lever-arm, to which the plate r is secured, with a stud, r2, set in the upright F. As soon as the wheel l" disengages the lever S, and the spindle E is drawn down upon the said button or disk by the tension of a spiral spring, U,

v contact with the button, the end of the lever g5 in contact with the 'lower end of the rod Q engaging the arm of the lever R, to which the guard-plate is secured, and depressing the plate out ofthe way ofthe cutters. The cutters will act upon the button during about one-third of the revolution of the shaft B, or until the cam on the 'wheel l2 again engages the lever g5,

when the cutter-head will be elevated by the mechanism before described. and an instant later the cam on the wheel l will engage the lever S, and thereby lift the spindle Efrom the button. Just after this takes place thev rod h is f'orced upward in the following manner: A lever, V, pivoted to the upright F at its base. has one end in contactwith the lower end of rod h', and is connected at its other end by means of the rigid connecting-rod v with one end of the lever W, the latter being piv-` oted to astandard, w, secured to the supports, between the uprightF and shaft B. The other end oflever W has a cam, w', on its edge,which engages a stud, fw, set in the wheel Z3 near the shaft B. The upward motion of the rod h lifts the button from the rest h, and the oblique head h3 on the upper end of the rod h throws the button off to one side into a suitable receptacle. As soon as the button is discharged from the rest the rod h returns to its depressed position by the action of the spring w, as before noted, another button slides ontoA the rest, and the operation is repeated. By changing the relative sizes ofthe pulleys which communicate motion from the shaft B to the cutters the cutters may be made to revolve faster or slower, as desired.'

It is evident that many slight changes may be made in the form, construction, and arrangements ofthe several parts describedwithout departing from the spirit and scope of my the` button or disk -reaches its position on the rest h, the cam on invention; hence`l do not wish to limit myself strictly to the construction herein set forth; but,

Having fully described my invention,what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a button or disk trimming machine, the combination, with a horizontal rest adapted to receive a button or disk, of a rotary cutter-head located above said rest and adapted to engage the said button or disk and a springpressed spindle passing centrally through the 'cutter-head and clamping the button to the rest, substantially as set forth.

2. In a button or disk trimming machine, the combination, with a horizontal stationary rest adapted to receive a button or disk, and an incline located at one side of and adapted to automatically feed the button or disk to the rest of a rotary Cutterhead, located above the rest and reciprocated by aspring and cam, and a spindle passing centrally through the cutter-head and clamping the button to the rest, substantially as set forth.

3. In a button or disk trimming machine, the combination, with a horizontal stationary rest adapted to receive a button or disk, and an inclined automatic feed located to one side of said rest, of a rotary cutter-head located above the rest and reciprocated by a spring and a cam, and thereby alternately clamping and releasing the button ordisk, substantially as set forth. i

4. In a button or disk trimming machine, the combination, with a stationary rest adapt ed to receive a button or disk and 'an automatic feed, of a rotary cutter-head adapted to engage the edge of the button, a clamping-rod passing centrally through the cutter-head,'and an ejectingrod located centrally in the rest, substantially as set forth.

5. In a button or disk trimming machine, the combination, with a stationary rest adapted to receive a button or disk, a clampingrod adapted to hold the button in contact with the rest, and a cutter adapted to engage the button while held-on the rest, of an ejector centrally located in the rest, and provided with an oblique set head whereby the button is cast to one side, substantially as set forth.

V6. In a button or disk trimming machine. the combination, with a stationary rest and an inclined feed, of a spring-actuated guard located at the side of the rest opposite the feed for preventing the button or disk from sliding over the rest, substantially as set forth.

7. In a button or disk trimming machine, the combination,with a rest, an inclined feed, and a rotary cutter, the latter reciprocated by a` spring and acam, of a spring-actuated guard located at the side of the rest and adapted to be depressed simultaneously with the cutter, substantially as set forth.

8. In a button or disk trimming machine, the combination, with a rest having an ejector therein, of a cutter -head consisting, essen- IOO IIO

tially, of a block providedwith a series of Socke ts, cutters cushioned in the sockets, said cutters being detachably locked therein by a hook or equivalent device, substantially as set forth.

9. In a button or disk trimming machine, the combination, with a rest having an ejector therein, of a cutterhead consisting, essentially, of a block provided with a series of sockets communicating with the periphery of the head by narrow slots, cutters cushioned in the sockets, and provided with lugs or pins extending through the slots, and devices located on the periphery of the head for locking the cutters in position, substantially as set forth.

10. In a button or disk-trimming machine, the combination, with a rest having an ejector therein, of a rotary cutter-head provided with a series of cutters cushioned in sockets formed in the head, and further provided with hooks adapted to vhold the cutters in` the sockets, substantially as set forth.

1l. In a button or disk-trimming machine,

Vthe combination, with ahorizontal rest adapted to receive a button or disk, a cutter located above said rest, and devices for clamping and discharging` the buttons or disks at regular intervals, of an inclined feed provided with reciprocating gates which automatically feed a button to the rest at the required intervals, substantially as set forth.

12. In a button or disk trimming machine, the combination, with a rest and a cutter, of feed mechanism consisting, essentially, of an inclined slide provided with guide-ribs, one of which is laterally adjustablaand reciprocating gates which alternately open and close the channel-formed between said-ribs, substantially as set forth.

13. In a button or disk trimming machine, the combination, with a cutter secured on a sleeve, and a spindle extending centrally through the sleeve, of a horizontal rest situated below the cutter, cam-wheels mounted on the main shaft, and spring-actuated levers connected with the said sleeve and spindle, whereby the rotation of the main shaft reciprocates the sleeve and spindle, in the manner and for the purpose substantially as set forth.

let. In a button or disk trimming machine, the combination, with a sleeve carrying a cutter, a clampingspindle located ccntrallyin the sleeve, a stationary rest situated below the cutter and having' an ejector centrally located therein, and an inclined feed having gates, of cam-wheels secured on the main shaft, and spring-actuated devices connecting the said sleeve, spindle, ejector, and gates with said cam-Wheels, in the manner and for thepurpose substantially as set forth.

15. In a button or disk trimming machine, the combination, with a cutter secured on a reciprocating` sleeve, and a reciprocating clamping spindle passing centrally through the sleeve, of a pulley secured on the sleeve, pulleys secured on an independent shaft, and bands connecting the pulleys on the independent shaft with a pulley on the main shaft and with the pulley on the sleeve, whereby the cutter receives sufficient velocity to trim a button with each revolution of the main shaft, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

SAMUEL L. OTIS. l/Vi tnesses:

FRED. BURDETTE MERRILL, NVM. H. WILLIAMs. 

